Disgruntled Southern commuters hit £25,000 judicial review target

A commuter group hoping to launch a legal challenge against the government over its handling of Southern Rail has raised its target of £25,000 for a judicial review.

This comes after months of commuter misery, as Govia Thameslink – which runs the Southern franchise – has been locked in a dispute with the RMT union over the role of conductors.

The Association of British Commuters announced last night (October 4), that it had hit its initial target to start legal action against the Department for Transport (DfT), and thanked more than 1,000 for donating.

Summer Dean, the Brighton-based commuter who set up the crowdfunder alongside Emily Yates, said: “Well done everybody! Thank you so much to every single person who has donated/shared/ supported the crowdfunding in whatever way they have been able to.

“Reaching the £25k target is a huge achievement and just shows how strong the feeling is that something has to change. This is a milestone but it really is just the beginning. Our lawyers have already been hard at work and now their hard work will continue to fight for transparency.

“We still need people to be involved in the campaign so please do let us know how you would like to help and we can get you right on board. This isn’t my campaign. This isn’t Emily’s campaign. This campaign belongs to every single person who has stood on a dangerously overcrowded platform, for every person who has lost out on family time, for those who have had pressures at work or at school, for every person that has been unable to use the network because of this ongoing rail crisis and for everyone in between.

“Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. To everyone who has believed in what we are doing and also for your continued support. We will of course keep you updated as the case progresses.”

“We salute you. And we believe that transparency and change IS possible. Keep fighting the good fight.”

To find out more about the campaign, visit: www.crowdjustice.co.uk/case/southernrail/